“Stop and You Lose”
The B-segment used to be very bustling and competitive in Vietnam due to its reasonable pricing and the value that the car brings. However, while the Toyota Vios and Honda City are still competing in this segment, other competitors either do not have the strength or have changed their targets to more lucrative segments. Therefore, this playground is only left with the Honda City, which has the ability to threaten the dominant position of the Toyota Vios.
In the B-segment, only the Honda City has the ability to threaten the dominant position of the Toyota Vios
This “two-horse race” has led both the Vios and City to possess more technologies and equipment, even not inferior to the C segment. Not only that, these two Japanese models are now more youthful, more personal, and have more technologies, while still maintaining their traditional advantages such as durability, affordable prices, and fuel efficiency.
It is worth remembering that there was a turning point in the B-segment sedan in 2014 when Toyota officially introduced the new Vios model. Prior to that time, the Vios did not have any notable technologies and had an outdated design, being known as a “car without anything to go wrong”. However, with its durability, low breakdown rate, extensive network of dealerships, and a good resale value, the Vios is still the best-selling model in the market.
However, Toyota understands that if it continues to maintain an “ugly” Vios like that, it is likely that this model will be overtaken by competitors that are becoming more numerous and better-equipped. Therefore, Toyota brought in a new Vios model in 2014, with a design similar to the current Vios, more youthful, beautiful, and fashionable. Since then, the Vios has continued to maintain its dominant position in the segment, making many of its competitors discouraged and withdraw from the race.
The 2017 Honda City has a sporty design, fuel-efficient engine, and exciting driving features
The Honda City is one of the few names that does not stop and give up. This model with its sporty design, fuel-efficient engine, exciting driving features, and CVT gearbox has immediately created a certain attraction and made Toyota wary.
Honda understands that “stopping is losing”. This is also the reason why the Japanese automaker has strongly upgraded the 2017 version of the City. The new model, just launched, is evaluated as being equipped superiorly compared to its competitors in the B-segment, with many advantages and enough ability to compete with the “big brother” Vios.
Let’s find out in detail.
Exterior: Softer and more sophisticated
Although it is a facelift version of the 4th generation, the exterior of the City brings many new and fresh details, especially at the front.
The design of the City brings many new and fresh details, especially at the front
For the first time when I meet someone, I have the habit of looking into their eyes. Similarly, with every new car, I focus on the headlights – the “eyes” of the car. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the new headlight cluster design of the 2017 City impresses me. The City 1.5 TOP version that I test drive comes with a full LED headlight cluster, including daytime running lights and fog lights. This is clearly a big advantage as no other car in the same segment has such a modern lighting system.
At the front, I can see the “shadow” of the Civic, Accord, or CR-V. What’s good is that Honda skillfully brings the most exquisite details of its “big brothers” to “embellish” the City. The “face” of the City was originally “masculine” and now it looks even more “handsome”.
The most noticeable change is the grille. The large chrome bar with the Honda logo on the 2016 model has been neatly sculpted. Below, a thin chrome strip is added that curves softly. This detail extends to both sides and connects with the bottom edge of the two headlight clusters, creating a harmonious look.
The “face” of the City was originally “masculine” and now it looks even more “handsome”
The front bumper has also been redesigned to match the changes on the 2017 City’s “face”. The Honda engineers have created many prominent contours, making the front of the car look more elegant.
To be honest, I don’t like the material and finish of the gearshift. If it were wrapped in leather like the steering wheel, it would be much better, as the gearshift is a part that the driver frequently touches when driving.
The driver’s seat can be adjusted in 6 directions, and the passenger seat can be adjusted in 4 directions. Although everything is manually adjusted, the comfortable leather surface of the seats gives a soft and comfortable feeling.
The driver’s seat can be adjusted in 6 directions, and the passenger seat can be adjusted in 4 directions
The rear space is even more impressive as the passengers feel very spacious. There is plenty of legroom for stretching. The rear air vents can be adjusted but are not enough to blow cool air further back if you don’t want to say that sitting in the back will be uncomfortable when the weather is hot and sunny. The good thing is that Honda has added a third headrest for the middle seat and folding armrest with cup holders.
The Honda City 2017 maintains the existing dimensions from the previous version. The length x width x height measures 4,440 x 1,694 x 1,477 (mm), the wheelbase is 2,600 (mm), the ground clearance is 135 (mm), and the minimum turning radius is 5.6 meters.
Interior: More convenient and spacious
One of the “lifesaving” factors of a car that wins over users nowadays is not only its good looks but also its convenience and spaciousness. That car not only has a “soft” price but also has to meet the ever-increasing demands of users. Honda has “successfully solved this difficult problem” by “listening” to customers and adding the most practical features to the interior of the car.
Honda “listened” to customers and added the most practical features to the interior of the car
Let’s start with the front cabin area. The first convenience is the push-button start and smart key. This is a familiar feature on mid-range models and is a must-have on a Japanese sedan in the B segment with a price of around VND 600 million.
The steering wheel in the City 2017 features a sporty 3-spoke design, wrapped in leather with integrated audio controls, cruise control buttons, and two paddle shifters. The maximum support for monitoring the parameters and operation of the City 2017 is the familiar instrument cluster with three chrome-rimmed circles, combined with vivid colors and clear arrangement of numbers and icons.
The material and finish in this area are also well invested, with solid and well-sealed plastic trims, while the leather trim on the side of the passenger seat adds a touch of luxury to the cabin.
In the middle of the cabin is a 6.8-inch touchscreen that connects to a smartphone through USB/Bluetooth and supports HDMI. Worth noting is that you can listen to MP3 music, watch videos, and listen to AM/FM radio with the City 1.5TOP through an 8-speaker sound system (the 2016 version only had 4 speakers). This screen also serves as the display for the reverse camera with 3 viewing modes. This equipment is rarely seen in cars in the same segment.
The shift lever is unchanged and is still made of plastic. This is a point that I don’t like very much. If it were wrapped in leather like the steering wheel, it would be much better, as the gearshift is a part that the driver frequently touches when driving.
The driver’s seat can be adjusted in 6 directions, and the passenger seat can be adjusted in 4 directions. Although everything is manually adjusted, the comfortable leather surface of the seats gives a soft and comfortable feeling.
The driver’s seat can be adjusted in 6 directions, and the passenger seat can be adjusted in 4 directions
The rear space is even more impressive as the passengers feel very spacious. There is plenty of legroom for stretching. The rear air vents can be adjusted but are not enough to blow cool air further back if you don’t want to say that sitting in the back will be uncomfortable when the weather is hot and sunny. The good thing is that Honda has added a third headrest for the middle seat and folding armrest with cup holders.
The City’s trunk space can hold up to 536 liters of luggage and can be expanded even more when the rear seats are folded. We tried folding the seats and putting various things in them, from filming and photography equipment, personal belongings, and even a golf bag. This test shows that the City is not only suitable for city driving but the owner of the car can confidently use it for long trips or camping thanks to the spacious trunk.
Performance: Comfortable and exciting enough
The engine and gearbox in the City 2017 facelift are unchanged from the previous version. The car still uses a 16-valve 4-cylinder 1.5L i-VTEC engine, with the highest horsepower in the segment, of 118 hp at 6,600 rpm and maximum torque of 145 Nm at 4,600 rpm. I have tested the City in previous generations and the upgraded 2017 version, and I still hold the same opinion: driving the City is both “comfortable and exciting enough”.
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